WPP and Google expand global AI partnership with $400M tech investment

WPP and Google have announced a major expansion of their global partnership, committing $400 million to advance cloud and AI innovation over the next five years.

The collaboration aims to transform the way brands connect with consumers, enabling real-time personalization at scale and equipping marketing teams with cutting-edge AI capabilities.

The partnership was formalized during a meeting in Mountain View between WPP CEO Cindy Rose and Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, alongside senior leaders from both companies. Rose described the move as a pivotal moment for the marketing industry, saying it would “redefine what’s possible for our clients” by powering more relevant campaigns and accelerating innovation across the marketing ecosystem.

Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud: “Our expanded partnership with WPP is built on a shared vision to harness the power of generative and agentic AI to transform business outcomes,” he said. “By enabling WPP to innovate on our AI-optimised technology stack, we are helping create the future of marketing technology for brands today.”

The agreement will see Google’s most advanced AI models — including Gemini, Veo, and Imagen — integrated into WPP Open, the company’s AI marketing platform. Through this integration, brands will be able to build custom AI solutions, speed up creative production, and unlock data-driven insights without compromising privacy. WPP plans to use Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and DeepMind models to enhance its media and audience targeting capabilities, while secure data collaboration will be powered by InfoSum’s Bunkers on Google Marketplace.

The partnership also focuses on workforce development. Google will join WPP’s Creative Technology Apprenticeship programme to help train 1,000 creative technologists by 2030, ensuring the talent pipeline keeps pace with rapid technological change.

On the operational side, Google AI will help automate WPP’s internal workflows, from analytics to resource allocation, improving speed, efficiency, and service delivery for global clients.

The companies will also co-develop new AI-driven tools and experiences, many of which will first be tested within Google’s own marketing operations before being offered to WPP clients. Early examples include AKQA’s “Generative Store,” which tailors messaging and visuals to individual shoppers, and AI systems capable of delivering near-perfect targeting accuracy and significant efficiency gains for retail and energy clients.

This latest agreement builds on WPP’s existing £300 million annual investment in AI and technology, further cementing its position as a leader in AI-powered marketing.

www.wpp.com

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